1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to containers with frangible seals and of the type intended to dispense substances such as medications, in either liquid, paste or powder form. More particularly the invention involves containers of the tamper-evident variety.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,511 illustrates a container construction with a frangible seal, to hold and dispense in doses, a liquid, pasty or powdery product. The container has a neck, which is shown to be of generally nozzle-like configuration, and has an annular neck extension which is pressed into a depression located inside a protective cap which is to be placed over the neck. The arrangement is such that when the cap is twisted on the container neck, the extension is severed from the neck at a weakened, pre-determined break-off point, and the container is thus opened. The severed neck extension is retained in the interior of the cap; since the cap is not transparent due to the opacity of the material of which it is constituted, and due to the presence of molded ribs or knurling, the prospective user cannot generally determine in practice whether or not the container is in its original, sealed condition.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,739 there is illustrated a container for dispensing doses of liquid or pasty product, such as medications( having a sealing element in the form of a sealing cap which can be broken off the container neck. While it is immediately recognized with such a container when the sealing element is broken, such element is exposed without protection to environmental influences such as possible contamination, accumulation of bacteria, etc. Such contamination can be transmitted directly to the container opening at the break-off point when the opening is not covered by the cap.
In published German Gebrauchsmuster No. 85 04 383 there is disclosed a dispenser having an annular collar or circular web which surrounds and is disposed beyond the bared outlet of the container neck. This arrangement undesirably acts to trap and collect dirt and other contaminants at the outlet, and constitutes an unsanitary construction.